I have had 2 sets of these shoes before and love them. I work in a hospital and wear a suit most of the day. However, I'm down a lot. Most of our employees wear athletic shoes, but at work I typically walk 7,000 to 8,000 steps a day in business attire. They are great, if you add the premade gel inserts they get even better and still suit my responsible look. The rubber soles on them start to age noticeably with age, so I wouldn't call them overly formal. (I have other shoes for those occasions)